Canada's Main Law Making Drugs Illegal - the Controlled
Drugs and Substances Act

The Controlled Drugs and Substances Act came into force on May 14,
1997. You can see the text of the Act and the accompanying regulations by
clicking here.
To learn about criminal records, click here.

The Controlled Drugs and Substances Act makes it a criminal offence
to possess, traffic, produce, import or export hundreds of substances.
The chart below lists some of the maximum penalties associated with
the better known substances.

For < or = 30g. of cannabis or 1 g. of resin: $1000,
six months or both (for first and any subsequent offence).

For amounts > 30g. of cannabis or > 1 g. of resin, if the
Crown decides to prosecute the offence as a summary conviction offence:
$1000, six months or both (for first offence); $2000, 1 year, or both (subsequent
offences). If the Crown decides to prosecute as an indictable offence: 5
years less a day (Remember that the Crown can prosecute by indictment only
if amount of cannabis is > 30g. or amount of resin > 1g.)

Life imprisonment

< or = 3 kg. of cannabis or cannabis resin --
5 years less a day

> 3 kg. -- life imprisonment

Cultivation: 7 years

Cocaine, heroin

If the Crown decides to prosecute the offence as a
summary conviction offence: $1000, six months or both (for first offence);
$2000, 1 year, or both (subsequent offences). If the Crown decides to prosecute
as an indictable offence: 7 years